Cutting Cultural Ties? Reasons Why Ukrainians Terminate or Continue to Interact With Russian Culture Despite the Ongoing Russian-Ukrainian War.

The article examines factors influencing Ukrainian nationals' decisions to either cut or maintain engagement with Russian culture amid the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war. Using a cross-sectional correlational study with 935 participants, it identifies that 67.4% of Ukrainians ceased interaction with Russian cultural products, driven largely by war-related solidarity, coping strategies such as seeking social support, and collective identity defense. Conversely, continued engagement is associated with Russian language use, emotional attachment to cultural content, practical necessities (e.g., work or study), and limited availability of Ukrainian alternatives. The study highlights a complex interplay of language, emotion, and coping mechanisms shaping cultural ties during conflict and suggests further research incorporating broader sociopolitical factors and diverse demographics.